To coin a phrase

we've all had clients like this!

[LifeinAsia]

I was discussing with a collegue about customers who ask for all types of things, but they're actually not sure what they want (and they don't realize they don't know what they want). I coined the following phrase to describe them:

"Many customers ask for a Swiss Army knife with all the accessories when all they really need is just a pizza."

In business (as well as the corporate world), so many times I see "clients" (whether they are external clients who have hired me or internal clients like managers or the accounting department) ask for lots of extra stuff that they think they need. They get so focused on the bells and whistles that they lose track of the purpose.

Especially when it comes to reports- people want this data added and that data aggregated and the report ends up so bloated that it's hardly usable any more to anyone. The customers ask for certain information without thinking how (or even if) that information will help them make a decision.

So when working with your clients, determine if they really need that Swiss Army knife they're asking for.

[Kendo]

I get lots of these and it is because they do not undertstand how a solution works. But they don't have to. All they need to do is use it, like driving a car, they do not need to be a mechanic.

It is you that undertsands how it works and it's your responsibility to inform them of what is possible and why other features are not possible or not practical in a real world.

Listen to them and pay attention to their wish list, because it can give you insight into the project that they have in mind, or at least somewhere for you to start and then by asking one or two simple questions you may easily get the full picture.

[lucy24]

like driving a car, they do not need to be a mechanic

But there's still a minimum expected level of knowledge. What we're currently seeing is the internet equivalent of not knowing what those numbers in front of you are measuring, or what that blinking light means, or what that handle thingy next to the steering wheel is for.

[piatkow]

Listen to them and pay attention to their wish list

And then find out what they really need!

But there's still a minimum expected level of knowledge.

I have come across people trying to set themselves up as website designers without having mastered basic keyboard techniques such as copy and paste! What hope to the "civilians" have?

[tangor]

Upper management (in IT situations) tend to be either clueless geeks still wet behind the ears or dusty curmudgeons who just want it to work they way it did when they were clueless geeks last century (hey, we can really say that!)

The new kids think they can view things differently IF ONLY This or That is added. Dusty just wants the base numbers, don't confuse me with details.

Your job (as IT) is to find the middle and explain why this is the standard report you really want, else let me just list that other separately so you have the number. Anything else, sir?

[Kendo]

people trying to set themselves up as website designers

I recall one of these. In fact he considered himself most expert because he has 100+ Wordpress web sites running numerous add-ons.

Only he did not know what HTML was at all. Didn't even know how to view it (as page source) from his web browser.

[Jack_Hughes]

I believe it is called bikeshedding see here [en.wikipedia.org].

People are keen to show they are making a contribution so make lots of suggestions of dubious worth.

[edited by: LifeinAsia at 4:44 pm (utc) on Jul 28, 2014]
[edit reason] fixed URL [/edit]

[LifeinAsia]

I believe it is called bikeshedding

Not in this case- this was an individual (not organizations) who just didn't know what he wanted.